It’s Friday afternoon, the week has been BRUTAL–as in no breaks, extra pressure, unexpected deadlines, disasters, concerned emails and phone calls from teachers, and kids who seemed to have turned into wolves; and then my phone chirps. A text reminding me this evening is Date Night. Just to be sure, I check the family wall calendar. Sure enough and I think, “Oh for the love of God, not another thing!” It meant more work, shaving my legs, feeding the kids supper ahead of time and ignoring my long LONG “to do” list.

I felt sapped of energy, the idea of trying to emotionally connect with my husband on top of shaving my armpits made me want to crawl back under my pillows. As I laid there in my misery, a recap of this week flashed in my mind. The last scene to stood out as I was me staring at my husband in his My Wife Rocks T-Shirt talking to a room full of moms. We had been guest speakers at a MOPS group where my husband bravely waded through the estrogen to share his take on what makes a good marriage when Chris stated, “Not only does a good marriage include frequent check ups, togetherness, and date nights but it also makes good parents.”

I wanted to be a good parent. I wanted my children and my husband to know marriage comes first, right?

SIGH!

Pushing back my bangs, I began planning this evenings meager date night. A pit stop at Panera Bread with the idea of cruising around town eating our favorite dessert or going grocery shopping …or not. And that also meant shaving…

Four Reasons Why Parents Should Date

Putting your marriage first does make you a better parent. Why is date night so important to parents? We all have different reasons. That’s because no two parents are alike. There is one thing all parents have in common, though. They’re human beings. Everyone needs a break now and then. All work and no play makes Mom and Dad pretty dull. Even parents deserve a little down time.

Mom and Dad came first. I’m still not sure if it’s the chicken or the egg, but I think I’m safe to answer that we all started off as a couple first before the little one(s) showed up. Today’s world is filled with too many couples divorcing because (1) they are not emotionally invested anymore or because (2) the relationship centered around the kids who are now on their own and there is nothing in common for the couple.

Remind yourself and your kids, marriage comes first.

Mom and Dad have a relationship too. That’s right, you had a relationship outside of your kiddos and date nights give you a chance to socialize without interruptions, tantrums, epic stories about weird teachers, or discussing the ‘to do’ list. The better a mom and dad’s relationship is, the better more effective your parenting skills are. You are able to present a united front. You can’t be one the same page unless you’ve had a chance to visit about that page.

Reminds you why you’re doing the parenting thing. Date night allows you and your spouse to get out of sweatpants to dress up. It gives you both a chance to look like real people again, you can look like the person your spouse fell in love with; when four a.m. rolls around, you’ll more likely have a grin on your face as you put baby back to bed because your heart’s be refueled.

Date Night keeps the romance from burning out. Now that you’re both dressed up and looking like real people, you have the chance to talk and remember who it is you fell in love with. Your husband isn’t just the bread winner and disciplinarian, nor is he the guy that shouts from the living room during a touchdown, nor are you the chef, lunch maker, laundry folder and bottle warmer. Remind each other who you are and take every opportunity to be romantic on your date.

Still aren’t sure about date night? I love this quote from Women Living Well.

Here’s how I see it. A good marriage is like an ice cream sundae. The ice cream, hot fudge and whipped cream are your love, respect, communication, intimacy, communion with God, laughter, winks, prayer, tender kisses hello and goodbye, day in and day out forgiveness and faithfulness.

A date night – is the cherry on top! Must you have a cherry on top of a sundae to have a great sundae? I suppose it’s all in your perspective. Some women might focus on the cherry that is missing and completely miss out on the winks, tender kisses, intimacy and myriad of other things that go into a great marriage on a daily basis! ~Women Living Well

102 Date Night Ideas

The focus of any date is to reconnect with your spouse, keep it simple!

Netflix night—watch movies or your favorite TV series on Netflix when the kids are in bed. Plan a movie marathon night. Order take out or make the perfect movie meal.

Stargazing in the backyard.

Bubble bath with glow sticks (trust me, the glow sticks are worth it and your husband will LOVE seeing the soft glow against your skin).

Board games: Monopoly, Twister, etc.

Fondu—what can go wrong with chocolate?

Camping indoors—complete with sleeping bags, tent, and a string of Christmas lights along with your favorite snacks.

Picnic indoors.

Picnic at your favorite park or in the backyard during lunch breaks if your schedules match up.

Sushi night— Plan a take out night with your favorite food and eat it in bed.

Do a crossword puzzles together.

Go for a walk or jog. Because of my husband’s knee issues, he either rides his bike or one of our kids’ scooters.

Go for a bike ride and watch the sunrise or sunset.

Go fishing at sunset. Pack some sandwiches and chairs.

Give each other back rubs or foot massages with warming gel.

Visit a local winery for an afternoon or evening filled with taste testing wine while snacking on cheese and other complimentary snacks.

Create a gourmet meal. This is one of our favorite nights. My husband can make anything taste like it came from a five star restaurant—even refried beans. Make sure to grab the candles and eat by candle light or by the fire place.

Play hide and seekwith post it notes. Plan to ahead to leave clues all over the house where your hubby can find you. Consider spicing it up by wearing one of his t-shirts or a new night gown (make SURE the kids are asleep.)